22-07-2025
Lakers coach JJ Redick's glowing comments about Marcus Smart in 2020
Veteran guard Marcus Smart agreed to join the Los Angeles Lakers after his contract with the Washington Wizards was bought out this weekend, and many believe he will make a significant impact on the team. The Lakers have lacked high-level perimeter defenders for the last few years, and that is exactly what Smart is, even if his defense has slipped a bit over the last couple of years.
Luka Doncic reportedly helped recruit Smart to the Lakers. In addition, a clip from "The Old Man & the Three" podcast has been unearthed where Lakers coach JJ Redick had some glowing things to say about the former Defensive Player of the Year.
In the clip, which is from 2020, Redick said that Smart is the type of player he would want on his team.
'I love Marcus,' Redick said. 'If I'm picking a basketball team, I want Marcus on it. He gets under guys' skin, he competes. There's a level of flopping in his game through the Marcus Smart Experience, but that overshadows all the other amazing stuff that he does.
'He is a guy that just makes winning plays consistently… I just enjoy watching him play and I like guys who compete like that.'
In addition to bringing some game-changing defense, Smart has some huge potential as far as being an overall glue guy for Los Angeles. That's the type of player he was in his first nine seasons in the NBA for the Boston Celtics, especially when they reached the Eastern Conference finals five times in seven years and came within two wins of claiming the world championship in 2022.
He appeared in just 54 games the past two years due to injury, but he has reportedly been working hard on his fitness and conditioning this summer, and he could be poised for a bit of a resurgence this coming season.
